LA Councilwoman Nithya Raman Launches Mayoral Campaign

Raman vows to tackle city's housing and homelessness crisis if elected

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman has formally launched her campaign for mayor, pledging to address the city's urgent issues like the housing and homelessness crisis. Raman, who was elected to the council in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, made the announcement at an event in Van Nuys, where she criticized the "reluctance to move forward with the transformative policy change" in City Hall.

Why it matters

Raman's mayoral bid comes as Los Angeles faces significant challenges, including a housing affordability crisis and a persistent homelessness problem. As a member of the council's more progressive bloc, Raman has positioned herself as a challenger to the city's political establishment, which she believes is holding back needed reforms.

The details

At her campaign launch, Raman said she has "tried so hard to intervene aggressively" on the city's biggest issues, but has "run into a wall of reluctance" in City Hall. She pledged to reprioritize the city's budget to improve basic services and defend local communities from federal policies she opposes. Raman faces a field of potential challengers that includes County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, and community organizer Rae Huang.

  • Raman filed paperwork last month to run for mayor ahead of the June 2 primary election.
  • Raman announced her mayoral campaign on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at an event in Van Nuys.

The players

Nithya Raman

Los Angeles City Councilwoman who is running for mayor, pledging to tackle the city's housing and homelessness crisis.

Karen Bass

Los Angeles Mayor who said she was surprised by Raman's mayoral bid, as the two have been "great allies" on homelessness issues.

Douglas Herman

Campaign advisor for Mayor Karen Bass, who criticized Raman's mayoral bid, saying "The last thing Los Angeles needs is a politician who opposed cleaning up homeless encampments and efforts to make our city safer."

Spencer Pratt

Reality television personality who is also running for mayor of Los Angeles.

Rae Huang

Community organizer who is running for mayor of Los Angeles.

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What they’re saying

“I've spent the last five years in City Hall, and I've tried so hard. My team and I have tried so hard to intervene aggressively on the most urgent issues that this city is facing, our housing and homelessness crisis, building a better safety response, getting our basic services to work for people.”

— Nithya Raman, Los Angeles City Councilwoman (dailynews.com)

“Well first of all, it was a surprise. We have been great allies, especially on the issue of homelessness. And I will tell you that I will look forward to working with Nithya Raman in my second term.”

— Karen Bass, Los Angeles Mayor (dailynews.com)

“The last thing Los Angeles needs is a politician who opposed cleaning up homeless encampments and efforts to make our city safer. Mayor Bass will continue changing L.A. by building on her track record delivering L.A.'s first sustained decrease in street homelessness, a 60-year low in homicides, and the most aggressive agenda our city has ever seen to make our city more affordable.”

— Douglas Herman, Campaign advisor for Mayor Karen Bass (dailynews.com)

What’s next

The June 2 primary election will be a key milestone in Raman's mayoral campaign, as she seeks to advance to the general election in a crowded field of challengers.

The takeaway

Raman's mayoral bid represents a challenge to the political establishment in Los Angeles, as she promises to tackle the city's most pressing issues with a more progressive, transformative approach. Her campaign will test whether voters are ready for the kind of bold policy changes she is proposing.